by Geon, Bryan
Police Stations: Washington County Sheriff’s Office, 215 SW Adams Ave, Hillsboro, 503-846-2700; East Precinct, 3700 SW Murray Blvd, Beaverton; 503-846-5900 (non-emergency), www.co.washington.or.us/sheriff/
Emergency Hospitals: Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, 9205 SW Barnes Rd, 503-216-1234, www.providence.org; Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center, 2875 NW Stucki Ave, Hillsboro, 971-310-1000, www.kp.org
Libraries: Cedar Mill Community Library, 12505 NW Cornell Rd, Suite 13, 503-644-0043, library.cedarmill.org; Oregon College of Art and Craft Library, 8245 SW Barnes Rd, 503-297-5544
Parks: Dozens of small parks and open spaces; part of Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, www.thprd.com
Community Publication: Beaverton Valley Times, www.beavertonvalleytimes.com
Public Transportation: TriMet, 503-238-RIDE, www.trimet.org; MAX service from Sunset Transit Center; several bus lines along main roads and to Portland Community College
Aloha
Boundaries: North: Hillsboro; unincorporated Washington County; West: Hillsboro; unincorporated Washington County; South: Unincorporated Washington County; East: Beaverton; Area: 7.4 square miles; Population: 50,700
The most important thing to know about Aloha, the unincorporated area west of Beaverton, is that it has no connection to Hawaii. The name is pronounced “uh-LOW-uh,” not “uh-low-HAH.” According to Oregon Geographic Names, in 1912, the first postmaster “named the office Aloah after a small resort on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. During the application process the last two letters were transposed by the Post Office Department resulting in the shift from a midwest Indian name to a Hawaiian word.” Ironically, Aloha has no particular resemblance to Wisconsin, either, and does not have any lakes, let alone lake resorts.
What Aloha does have is a sea—a sea of suburban housing. The area is not entirely residential—Metro has designated the center of Aloha as a regional “Town Center,” and businesses and light industrial facilities of many kinds line busy Tualatin Valley Highway, including an Intel campus that was the first of many in Washington County, and some supermarkets and other retail businesses border Farmington Road—but the neighborhoods on either side of the highway are filled with postwar housing developments with plenty of culs-de-sac. The predominant housing style is the ranch in its various forms—standard ranch, daylight ranch, ranch with ill-advised second-story addition—along with some split-levels and contemporary-style homes. Lots are generally reasonably large without being gigantic. Some streets have sidewalks, although most do not. In short, Aloha should feel familiar to anyone who has spent much time in America’s postwar suburbs.
Aloha
Aloha has not yet experienced the surge of infill development that has transformed closer-in neighborhoods. Some new homes with views of the Tualatin Valley stand on the north slopes of Cooper Mountain, south of Farmington Road, and several newer developments have sprung up on the western fringe of the community, along SE 209th Street, but most Aloha homes are not especially new. Single-family homes make up the majority of housing options here, although there are some apartment complexes, especially in the eastern part of Aloha near the Beaverton border. In general, home prices and rents are slightly lower here than in other parts of Washington County, and (until Beaverton accomplishes its annexation ambitions) property taxes are lower, too.
Aloha is rich in neighborhood parks and open spaces, including a swim center and the bucolic Jenkins Estate in the district’s extreme southwestern corner. Aloha is convenient to both Beaverton and Hillsboro, although automobile travel to other parts of the metro area can be time-consuming and inconvenient. (The MAX line runs along Aloha’s northern border.) It is reasonably likely that Beaverton (and possibly Hillsboro) will annex much of Aloha in the next decade or two, but the area should remain unincorporated for the near future. Most of Aloha is within the Beaverton School District (www.beaverton.k12.or.us); the Hillsboro School District (www.hsd.k12.or.us) serves the western portion of Aloha.
Website: www.co.washington.or.us
ZIP Codes: 97006, 97007, 97078
Post Office: Aloha Post Office, 3800 SW 185th Ave
Police Stations: Washington County Sheriff’s Office, 215 SW Adams Ave, Hillsboro, 503-846-2700; East Precinct, 3700 SW Murray Blvd, Beaverton; 503-846-5900 (non-emergency), www.co.washington.or.us/sheriff/
Emergency Hospitals: Tuality Community Hospital, 225 SE 8th Ave, Hillsboro, 503-681-1111, www.tuality.org; Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, 9205 SW Barnes Rd, 503-216-1234, www.providence.org/Oregon; Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center, 2875 NW Stucki Ave, Hillsboro, 971-310-1000, www.kp.org
Library: Aloha Community Library, 17455 SW Farmington Rd, Suite 25B, 503-259-0185, www.alohalibrary.org
Parks: More than 20 parks and open spaces; part of Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, 503-645-6433, www.thprd.com
Community Publications: Beaverton Valley Times, www.beavertonvalleytimes.com; Hillsboro Argus, www.hillsboroargus.com
Public Transportation: TriMet, 503-238-RIDE, www.trimet.org; bus service along Tualatin Valley Highway, Farmington Road, and 185th and 198th Avenues, with MAX light rail service along the community’s northern edge
Southeastern Washington County
The generally affluent southeastern chunk of Washington County has been one of the fastest-growing areas in the state over the last decade. Good schools, high-end shopping malls, access to parks and open space, and a concentration of nearby employers attract many new residents, as does housing that, while not cheap, is generally less expensive than housing in Lake Oswego, West Linn, or some other desirable suburban communities. On the downside, traffic congestion has increased markedly in recent years, both on the freeways (Interstate 5 and Highway 217) and on major city streets. If the suburban lifestyle appeals to you, and if you can handle the commute (or if you’ll be working nearby), you may want to check out the cities and communities of this part of the metro area.
Tigard
Boundaries: North: Beaverton; unincorporated Washington County; West: Beaverton; unincorporated Washington County; King City; South: Tualatin; Durham; East: Lake Oswego; Portland; Area: 12.2 square miles; Population: 50,500
Tigard (pronounced TY-gird, and not like the Winnie the Pooh character Tigger) was called Butte until the end of the 19th century, when the town became known as Tigardville, and eventually just Tigard, after early Pioneers Wilson and Polly Tigard. For many years, Tigard was little more than a farm community and minor trade center. After the Second World War, however, Tigard began to develop into a bedroom community for Portland, only nine miles to the northeast. The completion of Interstate 5 (which forms Tigard’s eastern border) in the 1960s fueled a boom in commerce and population that continues to this day.
Tigard
Tigard’s small, original downtown borders newly redeveloped Main Street, just off of Pacific Highway (Highway 99W), the congested, strip mall–lined road that leads from Portland to Sherwood and Yamhill County. The city hall, library, post office and a growing number of shops and restaurants are located in this area, but Tigard’s commercial center of gravity has moved to the areas bordering the freeways that serve the city, Interstate 5 and Highway 217. At Tigard’s northern tip stands Washington Square, the metropolitan area’s largest and most upscale traditional mall, flanked by an honor guard of minor strip malls and commercial office buildings; at the city’s southeastern corner is the region’s premier “lifestyle” mall, Bridgeport Village. The zone between these two temples of commerce—essentially the eastern third of Tigard, within a few blocks of the freeways—is a mix of office parks, light industry, and big-box retailers, together with the occasional stray house or apartment building. The city has plans to increase the meager housing stock in the so-called “Tigard Triangle,” the densely commercial and pedestrian-unfriendly zone between I-5, 217, and 99W.
Behind this bulwark of economic vitality lie the city’s residential neighborhoods. With the exception of the Pacific H
ighway strip and parts of Scholls Ferry Road, most of the western two-thirds of the city is residential. Homes in central Tigard, south of “downtown,” run the gamut of post-century styles, but the different subdivisions have very different flavors, depending on when and by whom they were built. Some areas are lined with ranch homes shaded by mature trees, others are comprised of clusters of tastefully painted newer townhomes, and still others feature basic two-story homes on stark culs-de-sac. One constant is that there are very few through streets, so traffic on residential streets tends to be light. Most blocks have at least a few families with children, with the exception of the neighborhood around Summerfield Golf Course, which is a 55+ residential community with some 1,700 residents. The southern end of the city is a landscape of culs-de-sac with newer, generally two-story homes, mixed with older ranches on older streets. This area is within walking distance of Cook Park, on the north bank of the Tualatin River.
West of Pacific Highway, most housing developments are less than 20 years old, and some are brand-new. In the northern reaches of the city, near Washington Square and along Scholls Ferry Road, there is a large stock of townhouses and apartment complexes, together with office parks, medical clinics, and other commercial buildings. Apartment buildings also abut stretches of Pacific Highway. Away from these areas, western Tigard is primarily an area of large, newer single-family homes. There are several high hills in this part of the city, and some houses have impressive views of Mount Hood. The median home price in Tigard is roughly in line with the metro-area average, and is higher than in Beaverton but lower than Tualatin, its immediate neighbors. You can expect to pay substantially above the city average price for a home that is larger than average, is relatively new, or offers a view.
Tigard’s fast growth, combined with a similar level of growth in nearby suburbs, has resulted in significant traffic congestion. The nine-mile commute to downtown Portland takes 15 minutes on a good day or during off-peak hours, but it can last 45 minutes or more if there is an accident or other mishap. Highway 217 is no better, and Pacific Highway (99W) is notoriously slow. Buses serve Pacific Highway and some other main streets, but are often inconvenient except for commuters going to Portland, Tualatin, Washington Square, or Beaverton. There is no light-rail service—and given vocal opposition to the idea by some local groups, there isn’t likely to be light rail service anytime soon—although the WES commuter train line between Beaverton and Wilsonville stops in downtown Tigard.
Despite its congestion, Tigard is considered a desirable place for families, and roughly one-third of the city’s households are families with school-age children. Most of the city is part of the well-regarded Tigard-Tualatin School District (www.ttsdschools.org); a small area in the northern portion of the city is part of the Beaverton School District (www.beaverton.k12.or.us). Tigard High School offers an International Baccalaureate program. Tigard has more than a dozen pleasant city parks, including Cook Park on the north bank of the Tualatin River, Summerlake Park in the northwest, and the greenways along Fanno Creek. The Tigard Farmers’ Market (www.tigardfarmersmarket.com) is held in a parking lot near downtown Tigard on Sundays from mid-May through October. The highlight of the municipal calendar is the Tigard Festival of Balloons—these are major hot-air affairs, not birthday party–grade helium balloons—held each June.
Website: www.tigard-or.gov
ZIP Codes: 97223, 97224
Post Office: Tigard Post Office, 12210 SW Main St
Police Station: Tigard Police Department, 13125 SW Hall Blvd, 503-629-0111 (non-emergency)
Emergency Hospitals: Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, 19300 SW 65th Ave, Tualatin, 503-692-1212, www.legacyhealth.org; Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, 9205 SW Barnes Rd, 503-216-1234, www.providence.org
Library: Tigard Public Library, 13500 SW Hall Blvd, 503-684-6537, www.tigard-or.gov/library
Parks: 24 city parks and open spaces, including Cook Park, Fanno Creek Park, and Summerlake Park; www.tigard-or.gov/community/parks/
Community Publications: The Times, www.tigardtimes.com; The Regal Courier, www.theregalcourier.com
Public Transportation: TriMet, 503-238-RIDE, www.trimet.org; eight bus lines along major routes to and from neighboring communities and downtown Portland; rush-hour commuter rail service (WES) to Beaverton, Tualatin, and Wilsonville
Durham
Durham is a tiny (265-acre) incorporated city of about 1,400 people wedged between Tigard and Tualatin along Upper Boones Ferry Road. The city is primarily residential, and although there are several office parks along Upper Boones Ferry, Durham has no retail establishments. (The city is, however, a short walk or drive to the Bridgeport Village shopping center just to the east.) Apart from a few small apartment complexes on Upper Boones Ferry, the city’s housing is comprised of contemporary-style homes dating primarily from the 1960s to the 1980s. Most of these homes are on good-sized but not enormous lots on curving back streets and culs-de-sac, the names of which—Rivendell Drive, Woody End, Wilderland Court—suggest a developer with a Lord of the Rings fetish. Residents are justly proud of the city’s canopy of mature conifers (a fact which is a bit ironic, as the city was named after a pioneer sawmill owner).
Durham
Durham is within the Tigard-Tualatin School District (www.ttsdschools.org). Durham Elementary School is actually just across the city limit in Tigard.
Website: www.durham-oregon.us
Bull Mountain
The unincorporated area of Bull Mountain occupies the ridgeline and slopes of the mountain of the same name west of Tigard. Bull Mountain has more than 10,000 residents, but its voters narrowly rejected incorporation in 2006 and the area has resisted wholesale annexation attempts by Tigard. Tigard has, however, selectively annexed small parcels in the eastern part of Bull Mountain, and is slowly annexing other areas where property owners request or agree to annexation.
The main road in Bull Mountain is, appropriately enough, Bull Mountain Road, which connects with 99W and runs east-west through the neighborhood. Access to most Bull Mountain homes is via the winding roads that branch north and south off of Bull Mountain Road. Several minor roads lead out of the neighborhood and down to Tigard and Beaverton, relieving traffic pressure on narrow Bull Mountain Road itself. Much of Bull Mountain consists of large, often custom-designed, homes with Mount Hood views, which may or may not be inside walled-in (although not necessarily gated) subdivisions. Newer homes here range from spacious to ostentatiously massive in size; many, if not most, are high up enough to have views of something, whether it be Mount Hood or the Tualatin Valley. There are also some neighborhoods of older ranches and split-levels, which are very nicely kept and landscaped with larger yards than many of the newer homes. The subdivisions in the western part of the neighborhood directly abut farmland.
Bull Mountain in general has higher home prices than neighboring Tigard or Beaverton, in large part because homes here tend to be relatively large and relatively new, with views. The neighborhood is extremely quiet; there are no townhouses or apartments and no major through highways, and public transportation is not available. Bull Mountain school children attend Tigard-Tualatin schools (www.ttsdschools.org). The unincorporated area has no public parks, although some subdivisions have their own greenspace areas.
King City
Turn off busy Pacific Highway at Southwest Royalty Parkway, behind Grocery Outlet, and you will find yourself in King City, a 1960s-era retirement community of some 3,250 people. The streets, which generally have “royal” names—Imperial Avenue, King Richard Drive, Queen Victoria Place, etc.—wind around a semi-private golf course; watch for the “Golf Carts on Street” signs. Most homes are modest ranches and split-levels, and there are also some older condo complexes. Many King City residences (and the golf course) have Mount Hood views. If King City sounds like your kind of place, you may have to wait a while: most properties have deed restrictions that require at least one owner to be over 55, and that bar anyone under 18 from living th
ere. In recent years, however, King City has begun annexing nearby unincorporated areas to the south and west, and the deed restrictions don’t apply in these new parts of the city. Look for the median age of King City residents (currently in the low 60s, down from 76 in 2000) to continue to decline in the future.
Website: www.ci.king-city.or.us
King City
Tualatin
Boundaries: North: Tigard, Durham; West: Unincorporated Washington County; South: Unincorporated Washington County; East: Lake Oswego, unincorporated Clackamas County and Washington County; Area: 8.3 square miles; Population: 27,000
Tualatin (pronounced too-WALL-uh-tin), 12 miles south of downtown Portland, was once a sleepy small town on the south bank of the river for which it was named. Although it was incorporated in 1913, by 1970 the city still had fewer than 1,000 residents. Tualatin’s population has since increased more than 25-fold, and the area continues to boom, with new residents drawn by the city’s pleasant neighborhoods and greenspaces, strong public schools, family-friendly environment, and the growth of nearby high-tech businesses.
While Tualatin has no real downtown, the city is centered on the area just south of the Tualatin River, between Southwest Boones Ferry Road and Martinazzi Avenue. This area contains Tualatin Commons; built on the former site of a pet food factory, the development now includes an artificial lake, offices, restaurants, apartments, and a hotel. The city hall and library are also located here. (The library proudly displays the skeleton of a mastodon that was excavated nearby in the 1960s.) A self-guided Artwalk wends through the city center area, past public art (including the mastodon) and a few historic structures, and even such oddball attractions as a garden of poisonous plants. Nearby, a few older shopping plazas and apartment complexes blend into the new retail developments along Tualatin-Sherwood Road. The small part of the city that lies north of the Tualatin River contains most of Bridgeport Village, a popular upscale outdoor mall. (The rest of Bridgeport Village is in Tigard.)
